First and foremost, wishing a speedy recovery to Wrangler! GET WELL SOON! I've been meaning to post this email I recieved. I don't know where Wrangler lives, but I hope this wasn't a "buncher" incident. Everyone read and beware!
BUNCHER ALERT AND THEY ARE WORKING IN VERY LARGE AREAS FROM VA TO MN. POST YOUR HEARTS OUT. DO HIEVES AND WORSE. FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE
I am writing to let you know that there is a LARGE group of bunchers working from the Hibbing-Virginia area down through Duluth-Mid Minnesota-mid Wisconsin . I have not only spoken with many people who have had their pets stolen from their fenced yards, taken off tie-outs, and one brave enough to run up to a man's porch in broad daylight and try to steal his Dachund. Luckily, he lived by a 4 way stop, and ran into the street in front of the cars. When he yelled "What are you doing with my dog" the woman threw her out of the window to the pavement and said "We thought she was lost" then took off before he could get a licence number.
Note: A woman was driving and she had a 9 or 10 year old girl run for her.
Unfortunately, I was an intended target as well.
I'd noticed a blue truck with a topper and a sort of loud muffler going slowly past my fenced yard off and on for the last three weeks. Last week one of the guys (there were 2 men) got out by my side fence and bent down to call the dogs-luckily I was standing at the door and was out there like a shot. Needless to say, they took off.
Four nights ago, just at dusk, I heard that truck again. This time they pulled up the the front fence (so all I could see was the side of the truck-no plates). Two of my dogs were out. The guy in the passenger side jumped out and was at my fence in a second, bent down and calling "come here puppy want this come here.."
Again, luckily I've been keeping an Eagle Eye on my dogs. I ran out and called Baily (he was closest) and at the same time screamed "What the hell are you doing"...well he was in the truck and gone in 2 seconds.
The next day, Dan was out in back by the garage, and Mason trotted up to him! We couldn't figure out how in the world he'd gotten out, until Dan checked the fence. The spot where this dog thief was squatting the night before had used wire cutters to snip several pieces of our fence wire...just enough to reach in and grab the dogs.
Please be advised that there has also been a report of a dark haired woman in a coupe-like red car who has been spotted doing the same thing. God knows how many there are and how many vehicles are being used.
PLEASE use caution when letting your dogs out. Mine will never go out alone again!
ORIGINAL POSTER CONTACT (from MinnesotaAnimalResc ue@yahoo. com - Digest #2230 - dated 11MAR10):
How HORRIBLE. That is why I never let Hallie have access to the yard when I am not home...you just never know no matter where you live what can happen. After finding a stinkin' raccoon in our yard I don't even let her go out alone when I am home now. Sucks you can't feel safe with them in your own yard. People can be pretty darn evil. A couple of years ago 5 purebred dogs were stolen on the cross street from me, right out of their yards and there were houses on each side of them. I can't even imagine...
Quite alarming.. poor guys who have been victims. Such evil and sick people.. Glad you shared us that news here.
For those who do not know a Buncher is some one that steals dog to sell to Laboratory's,breeders if intact,sell them for monies anywhere to anyone with monies.Would not be surprised they may also ship them to China or Asian country's who use the dogs for food.
When I worked rescue we had a call one day from a woman who was frantic. She had let her two dogs out into the back yard. walked away to another room and came back 10 minutes later to find the dogs gone. Someone had gone into the yard taken the dogs when she was out of sight range and were gone before she saw anything. Sam disappeared once, on Halloween and I called and called him, no puppy, so grabbing Eddie we took off, in the car to look for him - no Sam. When we got home he was sitting onm the back porch looking very annoyed.
Yesterday I went to the pet store to pick up some Nature's Miracle and saw that they had small flashing lighted globes that you attach to your furkid's collar and it wa only 2.99. Danni needs one if only to warn the critters she is outside securing the perimeter of the yard.